


Full of Surprises

by historicsweater



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 12:13:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16743799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/historicsweater/pseuds/historicsweater
Summary: Duck Newton stops by for a chat.





	Full of Surprises

**Author's Note:**

> Well I haven't posted a fanfic since 2012 but here we are. This is dumb and bad but I hope someone likes it.

Indrid smiled at the knock on the door, “Duck Newton, full of surprises.”

Billy’s head popped up and he rushed off the sofa to open the door, “Duucck,” he bleated.

“Hey, buddy,” Duck said and then peaked around the goatman, “is ah, Indrid, around?” he shuffled from foot to foot, one hand in his pocket. He didn’t even know what he was doing here.

Billy turned and informed the owner of the Winnebago, “Duuucck.” He moved to the side and Duck poked his head in.

“You mind?” he asked before stepping all the way in. He didn’t want to impose, he was coming over unannounced after all. Well, it was hard to completely surprise Indrid he figured but still.

“Not at all,” Indrid’s smile was a little unsettling, too big with too many teeth, and strain on his eyes, barely visible through the red lenses of his glasses. It didn’t matter, Duck would’ve been flustered by it regardless. Something about the seer set his hear racing.

He held up a jug, “I, uh, didn’t show up empty handed at least.”

“Piiiizzaa,” Billy lit up and reached for the eggnog excitedly.

“Here you go, bud,” he handed it over with a nervous smile.

“He’s gotten quite good at preparing it, you know?” Indrid smiled at Billy, a smaller smile, less unsettling, more gentle, “It’s quite helpful.”

“Well that’s a relief, I’m glad he hasn’t too much trouble for ya.” Duck rubbed the back of his head. 

“So what brings you here on this cold winter night, Duck Newton?” he chuckled, “I’ll confess, I wasn’t expecting you.” He never knew what to expect with Duck. He made choices the seer couldn’t predict more often than not. And more often than not, they were the right choice. The choice that did the most good. Perhaps it was selfish to say about this choice, but given Billy’s reaction at least he wasn’t the only one glad to see the ranger.

“I didn’t think that was possible with you,” Duck teased, poking him in the ribs with his elbow. Indrid winced a little. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry, sometimes I forget…well, I didn’t used to be this strong.”

Indrid waved him off, “Hmm, I wonder why that is, Duck, you certainly could have been. Most men have gotten weaker, not stronger, at your age.”

“I, uh, well, let’s just say it took a while for me to get my footing.” Indrid hummed, and smiled that big smile at him. Duck swallowed, “I, uh, oh shoot, I guess I should just say it.” Indrid gave him a puzzled look. “I really appreciate you looking after Billy, but, uh, well, I wonder if it meant anything? I guess? Like, sure, I guess Billy is alive, but we still killed the monster, and hurt the other goatmen. I just, what’s the point, Indrid? Are we gonna be fighting forever? Or, if Billy here can turn around, should we try harder with the other bom-boms?” Duck looked like he might’ve kept going but Indrid put his hand up.

“If you’ll allow me to be a bit selfish, maybe I can give you some perspective, Duck.” He paused for a moment and looked at Billy, who was warming the nog on the stove at this moment. “Look around, Duck, what do you see?”

Duck took a look around the RV. It was a mess, yes, there were still heaters abound and it was too hot, and future’s mapped on corkboards, but there was less clutter. Fewer mugs strewn about, less loose paper. “It, uh, looks like you’ve cleaned this place up. It’s real nice, Indrid.”

Indrid smiled, “Well, I’m not sure about that but it is better than it was. Do you know why that is Duck?” Duck shook his head. “It’s because of Billy, Duck. Make no mistake, I haven’t been taking advantage of him, using him a servant and such. I realized, well, I realized that it probably wasn’t a very nice place to live for him. And it probably wasn’t for me either, but I couldn’t keep up with it. I have a reason for being grounded in the present now, Duck.”

“You aren’t looking to the future anymore?” Duck looked troubled by this.

“I still am, certainly, and I’m looking for disaster, and things you can help with, but Duck, I, well, I think Billy has made my life better, and maybe it’s presumptuous, but I think I’ve taught him some things too. I can’t tell you that everyone you encounter is going to be as open to reform as Billy. He literally didn’t know anything but following orders before you separated him from his companions. But he was literally made to create and nurture, and you helped him lean into that, rather than reigning havoc. Maybe not every creature you encounter will have those impulses, and certainly we can’t let them hurt others, but Duck I think maybe they just don’t know better.” He looked at his guest with a weak smile, hoping he understood.

Duck didn’t know what Indrid was looking for, he didn’t know what he was expecting to hear Indrid say, but it wasn’t that. “Indrid, you can’t look after every stray I bring home. Even if you had the room, if everyone isn’t as sweet as Billy, I can’t put you in danger like that.”

“Duck Newton, I can say with absolute certainty that you would never knowingly put me in danger.” Indrid smiled, and it was something soft, like the smile he gave Billy, but not.

“Not knowingly.” Duck agreed, and scratched the back of his neck, “But I may not be the best judge of character.”

“I don’t think you’re naïve Duck, I think the fact that you see the best in others gives them the opportunity to be as good as you think that are.” Indrid countered and Billy came over to give them each a mug.

“Duuuuuccck,” he smiled and handed the ranger the mug and then went back to the kitchenette.

“Yup, that’s me,” he grabbed the mug and smiled at it. He took a seat and looked at Indrid, “I don’t know about all that, but I do gotta tell you, Indrid, I’m awful glad you decided to stick around.”

Indrid’s eyes widened for a moment, and then he smirked, “Yeah, well, I’m an all right babysitter.”

“That ain’t what I meant, and you know it,” Duck chided, and added, “you know I’m awful grateful for you looking after Billy, but you don’t gotta if you don’t wanna. I can look after him just find, most of the time, and Aubrey or Ned could look after him while I’m at work.”

“Weren’t you listening, you foolish man? I wouldn’t have him anywhere else,” he took a deep sip of his eggnog, “You’ve turned me into quite the proud papa it would seem.”

Duck set his mug on the table and said, “I’m glad it’s working out. Thanks, for the nog, and the answers.”

“You give me more questions than answers, Duck, I never can quite tell what you’re going to do,” he confessed, “but I’m glad you came, and found some comfort in what I said.

“I don’t know if you just told me what I wanted to hear, but, well, even if you couldn’t tell me about what’s coming down the next bend in the road, well, you’re still pretty good company.”

Indrid felt his face heat, “Duck Newton, if I didn’t know what an awful liar you were…well, maybe I should take back what I said about you being a good judge of character. I only bring disaster, don’t you know?”

“I doubt that quite a bit, you wanna stop the bad things from happening same as me. I’m a good sword to point, so just keep telling me where to go, and we’ll take care of it, together.”

“I’m hardly fit for your little Pine Guard, but I will gladly keep warning you when I can.” Indrid took a sip of his drink and held it near his face, soaking up the warmth.

Duck slipped his jacket off, too warm with all the heaters, and from the warm drink, and slipped it around Indrid’s shoulders. “There, that ought to help a little.” His fingers lingered on the jacket and he looked at the seer, searching his eyes for something. Indrid opened his mouth to say something when Duck pulled him closer and kissed him, just a light peck and pulled away blushing.

“Duck Newton, full of surprises,” he smiled fondly at the ranger and leaned back in, resting his forehead against the others.


End file.
